The Meeting
by Posessed-by-the-music
Summary: what will happen when Elena finally comes face to face with her doppelganger and boyfriend's ex, Katherine? Also, will Jeremy become a vampire? Set after the season 1 finale
1. Seeing Double

Elena arrived home after finding her clothes and parade dress were missing from the school where she had left them. She walked in the front door and heard a noise coming from the kitchen.

"Jenna?" She didn't know if anyone would be home yet after Founder's day celebrations.

Elena walked in to the kitchen expecting Jenna to be there, but she only saw… herself, only it wasn't herself or a mirror reflection, it couldn't be, she thought, it was Katherine Pearce, standing right there in her kitchen, with a large knife in her hand, standing over the body of John Gilbert.

"Elena, we finally meet, I have been waiting so long for this moment. Sorry about the mess, I was just cleaning up" Katherine told her, bending down, she dipped her fingers in John's blood and put them in her mouth, sucking each finger clean one by one, as if to tease Elena. She was speechless; all Elena could utter was "Katherine"

"Yes It's me, who else" she stood up and faced Elena. "I can't believe those boys have fallen for my doppelganger, shows just how gullible they are"

"I am nothing like you" Elena finally got out. Suddenly she heard Jenna scream her name from upstairs.

"Elena? Come quick!"

"Coming" As quickly as Elena turned to look at the stairs and turned back around, Katherine was gone, and John was still bleeding on the floor, close to death. He was whispering something.

"John? What is it?" She bent down closer to try and hear him.

"My ring" he told her weakly. She got up and looked around the room for his special ring, but it was missing.

"I'm sorry, Katherine must have taken it" she dialled the ambulance, "it's ok the ambulance is on its way John" she wraps up his mutilated hand. "I'll be back ok, I've got to check on Jenna" John weakly nods and Elena runs upstairs.

Jenna is sitting beside a motionless Jeremy in his room crying over him. Elena comes to the top of the stairs and sees him.

"Oh my god, Jeremy?" her heart sank into her stomach when she saw her brother's motionless body, then Jenna's face. "No no no Jeremy!" Elena then saw his bloodshot eyes and a bit of froth coming out of his mouth and knew immediately that it was overdose, she didn't say it though, she just reached for her phone and hit speed dial.

Stefan picked up after the first ring, "are you ok?"

"It's Jeremy, hes dead, and John" she was crying so much she could hardly talk, but Stefan understood her.

"I'm outside, I just saw Katherine"

"Yeah she was just here" The next thing Elena heard was dead air and then her front door opening and closing. Stefan was by her side immediately. Elena hung up and threw her arms around him. Stefan pulled Elena out into the hallway so Jenna couldn't really hear.

"Katherine was here, in the house? Who invited her in?"

"I don't know, Jenna maybe, thinking she was me" then a thought hit her, "she was the one who stole my clothes from the school"

"After Jeremy and John are in hospital I'll talk to Damon about seeking out Katherine, or letting her come to us"

"She has John's ring too" she added.

"We'll find her" Stefan told her, holding her close as they waited for the ambulance.

Damon walked into a room in an up market hotel, stripping down to his underwear while walking to the bed. He laid next to Katherine.

"Hello again Damon" she kissed him passionately.


	2. The Change

Elena sat in the hospital waiting room. Jenna was getting coffee for them both and Stefan was out hunting, he couldn't come to a hospital without feeding first, especially after his 'blood scare' as Elena referred to it. They hadn't been able to get Jeremy to the hospital with John because by the time the paramedics had made it to his room he was gone, which was bizarre, and Jenna had only been out of the room for a few minutes, so unless he was super-human or a vampire, he couldn't have gone far, especially after over dosing on her prescription pain killers.

Elena sat and thought about that for a moment, Jeremy, a vampire? Perhaps he had ingested some of Anna's blood before she died, before they both… died, Elena couldn't bring herself to think about the reality of the situation, that her brother, or Cousin, could be dead. But if he was a vampire, that would mean he was still around.

"He must be freaking out" Elena thought out loud, unaware that Stefan was standing right next to her.

"Who is freaking out?"

Elena closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Stefan, you scared me"

"Are you ok? You seem a little jumpy tonight" He sat down next to her.

"It's just everything that has happened in the last few hours is a lot to deal with, the Parade, my clothes being stolen, Katherine coming back to town and trying to kill John, and now Jeremy's missing"

"I know, but we should take it one step at a time" He took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I know, but Stefan, what if Jeremy is a vampire? Think about it" she looked at him anxiously

"If he ingested Anna's blood then we must find him, he has to feed to complete the change, and you know how dangerous a new Vampire is" He took an empty vile out of his pocket and put it in Elena's hand.

"What is this?"

"It was filled with Anna's blood, I can smell her scent on it, and also Jeremy's, I found it on the bathroom floor of your house"

"Oh My God, why didn't you give me this before?"

"I wanted to make sure we were alone first, Jenna can't know about this yet ok? We have to find him first"

"Ok let's go now" Elena stood up quickly.

"No Elena, when I said _we_ I meant Damon and I, it's much too dangerous for you to be around Jeremy at the moment, he could hurt you"

"But he's family Stefan, I want to help"

"Please, stay here with Jenna, she would worry if you're suddenly not around" He kissed her head, "I will call you when we find him" he told her, and before she could protest, he was gone.

Elena slumped back down in the waiting room seat, which was starting to get uncomfortable, and before long Jenna came back with two steaming hot cups of takeaway cappuccinos.

"Sorry about the wait, I had to go across the road to Starbucks to get these, hospital machine coffee sucks"

"Yeah" Elena replied distantly, she was really worried about Jeremy and what he must be feeling right now, and more importantly she wanted to be out trying to find him, to reassure him that its going to be ok, and she also wanted to tell Jenna everything, but the latter wasn't going to happen, actually, all of the above weren't going to happen, she was stuck in the smelly hospital on an uncomfortable seat.


	3. Katherine

Katherine rolled over and kissed Damon's naked chest, "It's been so long Mr Salvatore" she told him and giggled the giggle that made Damon go crazy for her.

"I know, _way_ too long" He kissed her back until an annoying buzzing in his pocket interrupted them.

"You're vibrating" She told him in a seductive voice.

"I know, but it's not the good kind" Damon took his phone out and looked at the name and rolled his eyes.

"Who is it?" Katherine asked, trying to get a look at the phone, "I've got to get myself one of those". Damon answered it.

"Hello Brother, if this isn't important, I'm going to come over there, wherever _there_ is, and bite you, however disgusting it may be"

"It is important Damon, I think Jeremy's changing, he ingested some of Anna's blood"

"Well that's wonderful!" he said with piled on sarcasm, "but I'm a little busy right now, what do you want me to do about it? If I kill him Elena will kill me"

"No we can't kill him, I want you to help me find him before he feeds"

Katherine sat up, "is that Stefan?" Damon looks at her and covers the mouthpiece,

"Yes it is, want to say hello?"

"Id love to say hello" Bitterly, Katherine reached to take the phone from Damon, but he held it away from her. Stefan could hear everything at the other end, covering the mouthpiece didn't do anything to stop Vampire ears from hearing.

"Damon, are you with Katherine?"

"Um no"

"Don't lie to me Damon, I heard her"

"Ok fine, yes I'm with Katherine, does that matter? You aren't _jealous_ are you?" Damon emphasised the word jealous with a snake like hiss.

"No I'm not jealous, but you could be spending your time more wisely, like helping me find Jeremy"

"You are pushy, ok fine I'll help, but can I bring Katherine? She'll get bored without me" he winked at her.

"Katherine has spent decades without you, I'm sure she can spare a few hours"

"Fine, see you in the woods" he hangs up and looks at Katherine.

"So as you heard I have to leave you, again"

"oh, what a shame, I was having so much fun" she giggled and pushed Damon back down on the bed. "I bet you Stefan _is_ jealous"

"I bet you're right" he kissed her.

"You run along then, find Elena's rogue vampire brother"

"I'll be back before you know it"

"Oh I'll know it" she seductively smiled and kissed him one more time, then Damon left to join Stefan in the woods.


	4. Deja Vu

When Damon had left, Katherine used her time alone to go and pay Elena another visit. When she arrived at the Gilbert home she saw a note on the front door 'Gone to hospital', obviously left for the missing brother or a friend, Katherine thought, so she made her way to the local hospital.

On the way in she asked for Gilbert and the nurse gave her the directions to the room with 'Gilbert' posted outside the door. It was unoccupied, lucky for them, she thought to herself, and walked right in to John Gilbert's room.

"What the hell! I thought I already killed you" she exclaimed when she realised John Gilbert was still alive.

"Katherine!" John exclaimed weakly, he was about to call for security or press the buzzer but Katherine got a syringe and was just about to insert air into his intravenous tube, when she was interrupted by Elena walking in.

"Oh My God, Katherine, step away from him!"

"He's a bad man, you don't want him"

"He's my father, leave him alone"

"I could snap your neck like a twig in two seconds flat Elena, don't argue with me" Katherine was in front of Elena in a flash, with her hand at her throat, fangs protracted, Elena gasped but held her ground.

"I am not afraid of you" Elena told Katherine

"You should be when Stefan isn't here to protect you"

"I can protect myself" Elena injected Katherine with vervain so she collapses unconscious on the ground. She drags her into the bathroom and shuts the door, then goes back to check on John.

"Are you ok?" She asks him, he nods weakly.

"I've got to find Stefan and Damon"

Stefan waited in the woods for Damon; in the meantime, he looked for any possible sign that Jeremy may have been that way or nearby. He heard a twig snap behind him, he turned around and Damon was right there.

"So, find anything?" Damon asked, impatient like a little child when he arrives.

"No not really, you're late" Replied Stefan

"Yeah I came at human pace" He replies, Stefan rolled his eyes

"You can get back to your girlfriend soon, now come help me track" Stefan bent down and examined a broken leaf.

"Decades of animal blood has made u a weak tracker, here let me" Damon took the leaf from his brother and sniffed it.

"Yes Jeremy has been this way" he dropped the leaf and jogged off into the woods, Stefan followed him.

Damon caught a scent and ran at vampire speed towards it, and before long he realised it was a preschool, filled with young innocent, vulnerable children, and Jeremy was walking right inside. But before he could enter to stop him, his phone vibrated in his pocket, the second time at the wrong time, he thought, he pulled it out and answered it.

"Elena I can't talk now"

"Its important, listen, Katherine is at the hospital and she tried to kill John again"

Damon paused, "Katherine's there, at the hospital? I thought I told her to stay in the room" he muttered the last part to himself.

"What?"

"Nothing, listen, tell K…" Stefan appeared so he couldn't finish his sentence, "scrap that, I'll be there soon" and he hung up and faced his brother.

"You're a bit slow, Jeremy's inside the preschool; I've got to get to the hospital"

"Why have you got to go to the hospital?"

"I'll explain later" and with those as his last words, he ran off at vampire speed, leaving Stefan standing outside Mystic Falls Kindergarten alone.


	5. Young Blood

Jeremy's jaw ached and his gums burned inside of his mouth, he was in agony, and he was hungry, starving, he'd never felt so hungry in his life… and then he smelt it, the most alluring and delicious scent he had ever smelt, and it was coming from the Kindergarten.

"No, this is wrong, this is so wrong!" He told himself over and over again, but the desire wouldn't go away, more than anything at that moment, he craved the blood of the children inside the building in front of him. He swung open the rusty gate and entered the school grounds.

It was overcast today, but not raining, so the children were still playing outside, they screamed and laughed and ran around chasing each other. A few of the children noticed Jeremy there but didn't seem alarmed.

"They should be alarmed" He said quietly to himself.

Then he spotted a small boy, only about three years old, sitting by himself in the sandpit. He walked over to the boy and bent down, _man he smells so good_, Jeremy thought. The boy offered Jeremy his toy dump truck but he didn't take it, instead he bent closer and touched his lips to the boy's neck, he was just about to bare his teeth…

In a flash, Stefan was in there and out again, he grabbed Jeremy and at vampire speed, ran him out of the school grounds and into the woods. It all happened so fast that Jeremy didn't know what had hit him. One minute he was in the Kindergarten playground, and the next, he was standing in the middle of the darkest part of the woods.

"What the hell?" Jeremy twirled around to face his attacker and saw Stefan standing there

"It's for your own safety and that of those kids; you could have killed that boy!" He told Jeremy.

"I know, but he smelt so good, I couldn't help myself, it was like an instinct and I couldn't turn it off"

"I know, you're turning into a vampire Jeremy. Did you drink Anna's blood?"

Jeremy hesitated and then replied, "Yes"

"Why did you do it Jeremy? Didn't you think about Elena or Jenna?"

"Not at the time, I just found out that Anna had died, all the people I love die around me, I'm cursed!"

"That's not true"

"Yes it is, don't tell me that I'm not, you don't know what you're talking about"

"I know exactly what I'm talking about Jeremy, I was human once, and then I died with vampire blood in my system so I had to go through the same change that you're experiencing now"

"What's that got to do with loved ones dying?"

"I killed my father, drained him of his blood to become a vampire"

Jeremy thought about that and then continued,

"You still don't know what I'm going through" and ran off into the darkness of the trees.

Damon ran into the hospital and straight into John Gilbert's room; Elena was sitting beside the bed waiting.

"Where's Katherine?" he asked, Elena pointed to the bathroom door across the room. Damon walked over and opened it; Katherine was slumped up against the toilet unconscious.

"Katherine?" He spoke to her softly and stroked her hair, "What did she do to you?" He whispered.

Elena wondered what was taking so long, "Damon, what are you doing?" She came over and saw how he was being so loving and gentle with Katherine, he really cared about her. It was good that Damon actually cared for someone other than himself, she thought, but she just wanted Katherine out of there.

Damon sensed Elena behind him and looked up from Katherine, "Hi, um… I was just taking her out" he picked Katherine up in his arms and walked out of the hospital room.

Stefan ran after Jeremy, he was fast, even for a transitioning vampire, he hadn't even fed yet. After a few minutes of running Stefan realised that he had lost Jeremy's scent and stopped, he realised he was hungry, starving in fact, he hadn't fed in a while, so he decided to track a squirrel.

When he was satisfied Stefan tried to track Jeremy again, he didn't want to tell Elena that he had failed, he had to find Jeremy, Elena's little brother, or cousin, or whatever he was now, and bring him home. And more importantly he had to teach Jeremy how to become a good vampire, not kill humans whenever he felt like it; he needed to teach Jeremy how to keep his humanity in tact.


	6. Giving In

Damon kicked open the door to the boarding house and while still keeping a firm hold on Katherine, he took her to his room and placed her on the couch. She was still unconscious after being injected with Vervain by Elena. Damon went to the bathroom and grabbed a wash cloth, wet it and put it over Katherine's forehead, dabbing the cool water on her skin, he had to wake her up, not so she could go back and try and kill John again or Elena, but so he could be with her.

Jeremy ran along the road that went through the woods, he needed to feed, he thought he was going to go insane or burn up; his head felt like it was on fire. As he jogged, memories came flooding back to him, meeting Anna in the library, seeing her walk into the Founders ball all dolled up, kissing her… he missed her so much, it hurt him, and he hated being alone now he was a vampire, both his vampire loves were dead and now he felt he had to wander around in this new life alone, forever.

A car came up the road behind him and slowed when they saw him, tourists, he thought, easy prey. The man behind the wheel put the window down and the women spoke.

"Excuse me? Are we going the right way into town?" they were well dressed, rich tourists, and they smelt so good, Jeremy thought, he could see their veins pulsing in their necks and his mouth watered. The man's voice interrupted his salivating.

"Excuse me?"

"Are you alright?" the woman asked. Jeremy snapped out of it.

"Yes I'm fine" he smirked, then protracted his fangs, "you are going the right way" he told them and bit into the man's neck, letting the warm blood flow down his throat and ignite a fuse somewhere inside that changed everything he felt about the world.

Jeremy stepped back suddenly, the woman started to scream, her husband was dead, and his blood was still flowing from his neck, gushing like a stream. Jeremy's head was on fire, every inch of him was on fire, and then he felt himself grow stronger, all of his senses were suddenly stronger, he felt amazing, he didn't know why Stefan was keeping this from happening, it was the best feeling ever.

He realised the woman was still screaming and was starting to get out of the car to run. In a flash Jeremy was at the passenger door and his teeth were at her neck.

Katherine stirred, Damon was sitting right beside her, "hey" he welcomed her with a smile.

"What happened, I feel… weak" Katherine said groggy

"Elena injected you with Vervain to stop you from killing John Gilbert"

"What? I'm going to go kill them both!" struggling to get up

"No, you don't want to do that" he told her, pushing her back down

"Why not?"

"Well John Gilbert, I wouldn't mind killing him myself, again, but Elena would kill you, and if you kill Elena, Stefan would kill you"

"I'm not afraid of Stefan Salvatore" She told him firmly with a hiss

"He's not afraid of you either, but he's been hurt by you and he's just protecting his mate"

Katherine snorted

"A human lover? Why doesn't he just change her?"

"Katherine, there was a time when you had a human lover, two in fact, you didn't think it was so bad"

"It's preposterous" she defended. Damon rolled his eyes, he wasn't going to argue with her; he always lost.

"Whatever. I'm just glad you're ok" he told her.

Katherine looked at him with a question mark,

"So you really do care about me?"

"Katherine I've always cared about you, I should ask you the same thing"

She just pulled him close and kissed him, and he gave in to her.


	7. Failed

**Authors Note: Sorry about the delay, I've been busy with study and sickness and also a case of writer's block, but a new chapter is here at last, please review, feedback is much appreciated, thanks.**

Stefan ran back to Elena's house, he had to tell her that he had failed in finding Jeremy and stopping him before it was too late, that was the last thing he wanted Elena to think about him, that he failed her, miserably.

He ran along the main dirt road that lead out of mystic falls and came across Jeremy's carnage; the car carrying the couple whom Jeremy had drunk to complete his change.

"Oh no!" Stefan panicked, he knew the people were already dead so he couldn't help them, and Jeremy was no where to be seen.

He got a hold of himself and decided that he had to get rid of the vampire evidence. He went to the trunk of the car and found a container full of gasoline, lucky he thought. He poured it all over the victims and the car and got his lighter and set it alight. He stood watch for a few seconds and then continued to run towards Elena's house.

Elena unlocked her front door and stepped inside. She was content that John was ok for now, and that Katherine was taken care of, literally, by Damon, and she was pleased that Damon finally had something, or someone, to worry about. Her house felt so empty without Jeremy, she thought, she was so used to feeling his presence around.

She walked into the kitchen to look for Jenna and to get a snack, when she found a note on the fridge, "_Gone to shops, Jenna"_, Great, Elena thought, alone again. She opened the fridge to get an apple out of the fruit and vegetable crisper, and when she turned around she found herself wrapped in someone's arms, and she knew straight away from his scent and the build of his body who it was.

"Stefan" she sighed and moulded her body against his.

"Elena I'm so sorry" He told her, stroking her hair and kissing her head. Elena stepped out of his arms just a little so she could look up at him.

"What's wrong?"

"I failed, I couldn't find Jeremy"

"Shh I'm not mad at you, if Jeremy doesn't want to be found, he wont be found" she told him, putting her hands on either side of his face.

"But I found something else"

"What?"

And then he spoke the words that Elena had been dreading

"He fed"

"What? What did you find Stefan?" Elena asked, shocked.

"I found his victims, they were already dead, he drained them, I couldn't do anything for them so I got rid of the evidence"

"Oh, that's good I guess" clearly distracted, Elena slumped down on a kitchen stool and stared into nothingness.

"Its not good Elena, that means I failed in preventing him from changing, I'm so sorry"

"No don't blame yourself, we'll find him ok, we have to" she was trying to reassure Stefan, and herself.

Jeremy loved his new found speed and super strength, he was like a superhero, he thought, now he only needed someone to share this new world with, and both his vampire loves were dead, _unless_, he thought, _unless I turned someone…_

His thoughts occupied his mind so much so that he wasn't paying attention to the path in front of him, he ran smack bang into Anna.


	8. Anna

"Hello Jeremy" Anna said with a smile.

"Anna, Oh My God!" he hugged her tight. "You're alive?"

"I won't be much longer if you keep hugging me like that" she chuckled, kind of breathless. Jeremy stepped back but didn't remove his hands from her.

"Sorry. I can't believe you're alive, I thought you burned up in that old building?"

"The flames didn't reach me so I was able to get the stake out"

"Someone staked you?" shocked, Jeremy now noticed a bloody edged hole in her shirt, and underneath, fully healed skin.

"Yes John Gilbert did"

"I'm going to kill him!" Jeremy said in rage, and suddenly his fangs came out, Anna gasped.

"You drank my blood" was all she said. Jeremy realised what had just happened and relaxed, his fangs went back into his gums.

"Yeah, sorry, I missed you Anna"

"Don't apologise" and she kissed him passionately.

Stefan and Elena drove around town on the lookout for Jeremy, Stefan wanted to resume search at night alone, but Elena insisted on coming with him, she wanted to do something helpful. She stared out the window while Stefan drove her car, she sighed.

"We'll find him I'm sure of it, there's not many places he can go, I know that he's going to stay in town" he reached over and put his hand over hers, she squeezed his hand back.

"So where are we going to go Anna?" Jeremy asked as they walked through the woods, they didn't want to be spotted; the town thought both of them were dead, literally.

"I'll get us a hotel room" she told him, looking at his worried face, "And some blood" she added with a smile. Jeremy smiled back at her and immediately calmed down, he was glad he had Anna again. He spoke his thoughts out loud.

"I'm glad you're ok" he told her, holding her hand, "I thought I was going to be alone in this life" meaning his vampire second life.

"You'll never be alone Jeremy, I didn't plan on leaving you…but I knew someone was after me, they already killed my Mother, so I had to be prepared"

"That's ok I don't blame you, just… thank you for giving me your blood"

"No problem, it was the only way we could be together forever" she told him, they had stopped walking and were facing each other holding hands, Jeremy leaned down and kissed his vampire love passionately.

At that moment Elena's car came around the corner of the dirt road, Anna and Jeremy should have been more concealed, deeper into the forest than they were, but they weren't thinking about that because they were in love. Stefan spotted them and pulled to the side of the road, Elena jumped out, ignoring Stefan's protests to stay in the car.

"Jeremy!" she called her brother/cousin's name and he looked her way, immediately changing his stance to protective when he saw Elena and Stefan, to protect Anna.

"Jeremy, Anna, relax, we just want to talk" Stefan told them calmly

"We just want to be together, in peace"

"I know, I just need to know that you're ok, do u know how heart broken aunt Jenna is? Can I tell her you're alive?" Elena told him.

"And what, tell her I'm a vampire? Let her know that things like us exist?" he gestured to include himself, Anna and Stefan.

"Well I'll leave out that little detail, but please come home Jer, we miss you" Elena begged him, trying to hold onto the thin line of hope she had left, but then it snapped.

"I'm sorry Elena" and Jeremy and Anna ran off deeper into the forest.


	9. True Passion

"Jeremy!" Elena tried to run after him but Stefan caught her arm just in time

"No Elena, let him go, he'll be ok"

"No, we have to go after him!" she was fighting back tears and pulling against Stefan but she couldn't budge, Stefan was too strong.

"He will come back if he wants to, let him go Elena" he told her, and she gave in and let gravity take a hold of her, but Stefan caught her weight before she hit the ground and lifted her into his arms.

Anna unlocked the door of the cheap motel room and stepped inside with Jeremy in tow, she was on the bed before she could get the door shut behind them. She kissed Jeremy so passionately she thought they would both catch fire. Jeremy ripped off her clothes, which was bad, they would have to steal or buy new clothes at some point, but at that moment she didn't really care, she was with Jeremy.

In the height of their passion Jeremy extracted his fangs and sank them into Anna's neck and drank her crimson life force. A vampire drinking another vampire's blood didn't do much but it was still invigorating, and Anna didn't mind him drinking from her, because when they swapped positions she drank from him… and Jeremy's blood was unlike any other blood she had ever tasted, because his human blood still lingered in his body, he was stronger than she was because he was newer, and she could hardly stop. When she found the will to stop she just lay there in his arms and let Jeremy hold her, she could stay that way for eternity.

Stefan took an unconscious Elena back to the boarding house and lay her on his bed. Just as he did that he heard a noise behind him, he turned around protective, ready to fight, but there stood Katherine, in the doorway to his room.

"Is she dead?" she asked Stefan

"No she fainted"

"Oh what a shame, I would've liked to drink her"

"You will not touch her!" he growled, and stood between Elena and Katherine. Katherine laughed, that same laugh that had sent both the Salvatore brothers insane with lust all those years ago, and Damon all over again, but not him, he loved Elena.

"Relax Stefan I won't touch your little human lover"

"What are you doing here Katherine?"

"I'm here with Damon, he loves me" she said melodramatically and then giggled again and walked out. Stefan ignored Katherine and got a hand towel from the bathroom, wet it and put it on Elena's forehead.

Stefan made a mental note while he was caring for Elena; that he had to find out why Katherine was back in Mystic Falls and what her motive was, she couldn't really truly care for Damon the way Damon cared for her, could she? While Elena was still unconcious, he picked up his journal, opened it to a fresh page and began writing.

_Dear Diary,_

_Jeremy's a vampire and Anna is back, I'm glad that Jeremy isn't alone anymore but im concerned for Elena, and the lack of care for Elena that Jeremy has…_

_But this seems all too familiar, I am forgetting that I felt the exact same way that Jeremy is feeling now when I was turned, that insane thirst and overwhelming desire for blood and only blood, I even drank my own father dry… I was a monster and still consider myself a monster… but Elena doesn't, and I can't fathom that. _

_Just looking at her now, I promise myself that I will do anything to protect her from Katherine… _

_Katherine, I cannot believe she is back in town, why is she back in town? It cannot be simply for Damon, she always has an ulterior motive, so I am going to find out that exact reason and I will not stop until I know for certain that her plan doesn't involve hurting Elena._

_Oh she's waking, I must go._

_Until then,_

_Stefan_

He shut his journal just in time to see Elena's eyes flutter open, she sighed and spoke.

"Stefan, were you writing in your journal?"

"Yeah" he said with a smile as he came to sit next to her on the bed, she snuggled up to him.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked her

"Jeremy's still gone"

"He will come back" was all he could say to her, he kissed her head.

"How do you know?"

"I know"


	10. Motives

The truth was that Stefan didn't know, and he couldn't keep lying to Elena, he had to get Jeremy back, and he had to find out why Katherine was back, so many things to do without Elena knowing, this would be hard, he thought. By this time the sun had set and Elena was still sleeping so he decided to let her sleep there and run his errands. He kissed her on the head and left. On the way out he walked past the library where Damon was, Katherine was no where to be seen.

"I'm going out, can u watch over Elena?"

"Sure, little brother" he replied, his eyes were on his laptop screen.

"Can I trust you?"

"Of course, when have I ever done anything to Elena?"

"Um when you took her to Atlanta"

"I rescued her"

"Ok fine, I trust you, but I don't trust Katherine" he looked around to see if she was around, she didn't show.

"Katherine won't hurt Elena, not over my undead body"

"Thank you, if anything happens to her I'll kill the person responsible" and with that Stefan left.

As soon as Stefan was gone, Damon went up to Stefan's room to sit with Elena, who looked like a porcelain doll, but a sweet, blood filled… no he would not think about that now, he had made a promise to protect his brother's love and that's what he would do. He decided to take the most of the opportunity of being alone in Stefan's room to read his journal, he picked up Stefan's leather bound journal which came from their time, and flipped it open to the most recent page and read, and what he saw infuriated him, how could Stefan accuse Katherine of having an ulterior motive? _Speaking of which_, he thought, _where is Katherine?_

Katherine walked into the hospital and past the nurse's station, a voice stopped her,

"Excuse me, Miss Gilbert right? Elena?"

Katherine stopped and looked at the nurse.

"That's right, I'm here to see Uncle John" she said with an almost mocking smile, she couldn't believe Elena called him her uncle when he was really her father, the man disgusted her, he had to die!

The nurse let Katherine pass and once again she walked into John Gilbert's room with the intention of murder.  
"Third times a charm" she mumbled to herself as she took a clean syringe from the nurse's cart and inserted it into John's Intravenous tube for the second time.

Jeremy opened the motel door and stepped inside with paper bags, Anna was sitting on the bed watching TV.

"Hey I'm back, I got dinner"

"Yum" she replied with a smile and then turned back to the TV. Jeremy sat the bags on the bed and opened them to reveal bottles of blood.

"Where did you get those?"

"I raided the blood bank and the morgue, Stefan's right, I can't drain people all the time, unless I ask Damon how he does it"

"No, you can't"

"Why not?"

"We have to remain concealed; otherwise we will be killed, just like my mother"

"But Uncle John's the one who did that, he's in hospital he can't"

"He will finish the job"

"Ok fine" he added finally, and opened a bottle of blood and drank from it. Anna took one as well.

"You have to tell your Aunt that you're ok"

That was something he was least expecting out of Anna's mouth.

"What?"

"Listen Jeremy, Family is the most important thing in the world, don't let them go"

"Ok fine I'll go home, if you'll come with me, you're alone without me"

She smiled at him

"Sure"

Stefan came back about an hour later to find Elena awake and talking with Damon happily, he relaxed and smiled.

"Hey you're back" Elena said as she noticed him.

"Yeah, do you feel better?"

"I just fainted, I'm fine" she smiled at Damon, he smiled back at her but not at his brother, he stood up furious.

"How dare you accuse Katherine of having ulterior motives!"

"Well how are we supposed to know why she's here Damon?"

"Isn't it obvious? She's here to see me"

Stefan rolled his eyes

"Get over yourself Damon" he told him, then Damon left in a huff. Stefan turned to Elena.

"Im sorry, I couldn't find Jeremy, they weren't at the hotel"

"No its ok, he's fine, Aunt Jenna called me, he came home" she told him happily.


	11. Interview with the Vampire

Elena opened her front door with Stefan close behind her.

"Aunt Jenna? I'm home" she called.

"In the kitchen" replied Jenna, there was laughing, a female voice, and Elena knew it must be Anna. Stefan and Elena walked into the kitchen to find Jeremy, Anna and Jenna sitting around the table talking, Jeremy's and Anna's cups of tea untouched, they were just props now, Elena didn't want Jenna to know the truth.

"Elena, Stefan, hey, guess who's living with us now" Jeremy said with a smile.

"Really? Anna's living here?" she said with a question mark at Jenna.

"That's fine with me, since Anna's mother died"

"I'm really grateful" Anna told her. Elena was feeling very uncomfortable about the situation.

"Jeremy, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure, ok" he got up and Stefan went to sit down and talk to Jenna and Anna. Elena led Jeremy into the next room.

"This is really dangerous Jeremy, you could hurt Jenna" she sprung on him as soon as they were out of ear shot from Jenna.

"Are you kidding? I would never hurt her"

"You say that but the need for blood is too strong it controls you"

"How would you know? You're not a vampire"

"Stefan and Damon told me ok, and what about Anna?"

"Oh please, she's been a vampire way longer, like over a hundred years, of course she has control"

"I just don't want Aunt Jenna to know about any of this"

"About Vampires you mean?"

"Yes"

"We're careful don't worry"

Katherine sat on the bench in the town square, there was a sudden breeze and Damon was sitting next to her.

"Hey" she gave him a false smile

"So Stefan thinks that you have ulterior motives here in Mystic Falls, is that why you're back?" he didn't waste time.

"Now why would you think that?"

"I don't, Stefan does, I just want to know the truth, why are you really back Katherine?" Her grin died down to a serious expression.

"Because I wanted to see the mysterious Elena I've heard so much about and I was intrigued as to why she looked exactly like me"

"That's it?"

"And I couldn't resist seeing the handsome Salvatore Brothers again" she told him giggling and stroking his hair, that playful laugh that made him crazy. He pulled away and stood up in vampire speed.

"You're lying!" he growled, she stood up and was close to him instantly again.

"Unfortunately for you yes, I am lying, I don't care for you or Stefan at all, I've had my fun, now I'm all business"

Damon was hurt, heartbroken, torn up, staked…everything that including dying, even if it weren't possible for a vampire, he wanted all of it at that moment.

Katherine could see the hurt inside of Damon.

"I'm sorry Damon, but I'm just here to see family" she turned to leave.

"So you _are_ related to Elena?" he asked, Katherine paused.

"Yes, she's my great great great granddaughter, man that makes me feel old" she said with a grin and walked off.

Elena and Stefan went up to her room to talk.

"I'm worried she's going to find out Stefan"

"We have ways of concealing ourselves, blending in"

"But not forever, she's going to notice when Jeremy and Anna arn't eating normal food"

"They can still eat human food"

"Oh I forgot, Damon told me this, he ate a burger and fries in Atlanta, he said he can only eat human food if he keeps up a steady diet of human blood as well"

"Yeah, so there is a way" Stefan smiled, Elena still felt helpless though, she lay back on her bed and sighed.

"Don't worry, if Jenna does find out, I'll explain to her that Jeremy, Anna, Damon and I are the good ones, but there are still bad ones out there"

"Thanks Stefan" she managed a smile as Stefan lay down next to her and pulled her close to him.


	12. Blood Worry

_Dear Diary,_

_The truth is that I'm still worried, worried for Jenna's safety and wellbeing, I don't want her to know about the night world and to know that the 'things that go bump in the night' really do exist, in a way I feel like her parent and she's my child, gosh I am so worried! Even Stefan's arms and kisses don't soothe me, do I need therapy?_

Elena closed her diary there, she felt she really did need therapy, and that she was going to go prematurely grey from all this stress, she needed to take her mind off this. Stefan had left earlier to go hunting so she was alone. She crawled out of bed and into the bathroom. She turned on the shower, stripped out of her pyjamas and stepped under the hot water; letting it cleanse her, mind body and soul.

It was the Twenty-Third of December, the day before Christmas eve and she still hadn't gotten Stefan, Damon or anyone a present yet or made plans for Christmas lunch. She was assuming Jenna would throw something, she decided she would call after she got out of the shower just to make sure. Then she would go Christmas shopping. That, she decided would be her therapy, retail therapy, what every girl needed now and then. Elena left Stefan a note to say where she was heading and not to worry, then drove to the mall.

The stores and all the people and the noise was somehow soothing for Elena, and soon enough her worries about Jenna and vampires were at the back of her mind and replacing those worries were more worries, but of a different kind; she had no idea what to get for Stefan and Damon.

She had to get her boyfriend something perfect that would say 'I love you' but something that would be practical and that he would use everyday…she had it! She would frame a photo of them together and buy him a new journal too; he had filled up his last one that had been from 1864, so she decided to go to a second hand bookstore. She knew a place that held antique books and other antiques as well; it was one of Stefan's favourite stores in the mall.

She browsed the shelves and all the titles, most of them written in gold on leather bound covers, but one word stood out to her; _vampires_. She picked it up, it was a novelty book called 'Grammar for Vampires', obviously written for the vampire crazy teens in today's society she thought, and it made her smile, she had to get it for Damon; his grammar was atrocious! Ok, one gift down, next, to find something for Stefan, and Jeremy she realised, she could buy Jeremy a new sketch pad, or an easel, the latter sounded pretty good she thought.

After more browsing in the antique book dealer she found what she was looking for; a leather-bound, blank paged journal that just screamed Stefan to her. She payed for the items and went to the next store in her mental list; the art supply shop. She picked up an easel and some new pencils and charcoal for Jeremy.

Still puzzled about what to get for Jenna, she walked past a shoe store and remembered that Jenna had wanted a new pair of heels, to wear on a date with Alaric Saltzman, she added mentally with a smile and walked into the store and found a fire engine red pair; every girl should have a good pair of red shoes in her closet.

As she was walking out she remembered Anna, what would she buy for Anna? She was now a part of their family and was like a sister to her, she couldn't leave her out. While walking past a CD store she remembered Anna loved music, but Elena couldn't remember what bands she listened to, so she just bought a $50 gift card, there, Elena said to herself, Christmas shopping complete.

Before leaving the mall she picked up some gift wrap because she remembered they had run out, and she also bought some takeaway Thai food for lunch, Damon loved it. She went home to her house and hid the gifts in her room for wrapping later and took the thai food down to the kitchen for re-heating and serving, and found Jenna sitting waiting for her, an unhappy expression across her face, and her arms were crossed, not good, she thought.

"Elena we need to talk" she said sternly.

"What's wrong Aunt Jenna?" Elena set the food bag on the counter and sat down on the stool. Then Jenna dropped the bomb.

"Did you know Jeremy and Anna are vampires?"


	13. No More Lies

Elena gasped.

Jenna knew. How could Jenna know? _Ok relax Elena, it cant be that bad, can it?_

"You know" was all Elena said out loud.

"How could I not know when the teenagers under my care don't eat my food anymore, I'm not that bad a cook!" she tries to calm herself down "Wait, you know too?"

"Yes, I've known for a while about vampires... because Stefan and Damon are vampires too" Elena mentally kicked herself, _stupid stupid! You shouldn't have added that Elena, now she's going to go into shock._

"Oh my god" Jenna spoke after a few silent seconds, too silent for Elena's liking, Elena was dreading this day.

"But its ok, they won't hurt you, well Damon's the only one you should worry about, but I can handle him, he's just moping at the moment" Elena realised she was rambling on, she stopped and waited for Jenna's next words. She never expected Jenna's next question.

"So where do they get their food source?"

"Well Stefan's like a vegetarian vampire, he only drinks animal blood, Damon gets his from the blood bank and so does Anna and Jeremy, so it's ok"

"Do they steal the blood?" Elena realised Jenna really wanted to know more about vampires, so she decided to get her a primary source.

"Let me call Stefan, he'll tell you everything you want to know" she told her, dialing Stefan's number.

Stefan came over and told Jenna everything she wanted to know and answered all her questions. Elena took that time to sneak upstairs and wrap up presents.

A while later she came back down and walked in at the wrong moment, they were talking about sex, too much information, but Stefan wasn't embarrassed.

"So during sex, do you like, bite the other person's neck and drink their blood?"

"That's not my personal preference, Damon might like it though" Elena walked into the kitchen then.

"Hey" kissing Stefan, "I'm sorry if she's bombarding you with ridiculous questions" she shot Jenna a warning look.

"None that I haven't heard before, it's fine" he told her, taking her hand and kissing it.

"Well thank you Stefan for telling me all I need to know" Jenna interrupted, "I might go and make a few calls, I'm planning Christmas lunch, and you and Damon are invited… you guys don't have to eat the food though" Jenna added awkwardly and left the room.

"That was nice of her" said Stefan when Jenna had gone, stroking Elena's long brown silky hair.

"Yeah, I really am sorry about that, she found out while I was at the mall"

"Yeah, she told me she's been figuring it out, Jeremy and Anna haven't been eating properly lately" he added with a smile.

"I'm still stunned that she didn't freak out"

Stefan changed the subject.

"So you got all your Christmas shopping done? What did you get me?"

"Like I'm going to tell you that Mr Salvatore" she teased. "But I got Damon the most classic thing, he's going to LOVE it" she added with a sarcasm. He kissed her, and Elena's stomach chose that moment to rumble.

"You're hungry, come on, eat your Thai" Stefan stood up and started to serve up the food.

"Yeah I've been so occupied with present wrapping and vampire questions" She added the latter because she was worried about the effect Jenna's interview had on Stefan, he picked up on it.

"Really its fine and it's a good thing that she knows right? No more lies"

Elena smiled.

"No more lies"


	14. The Vampire who stole Christmas

Christmas Day was busy in the Gilbert house, Jenna was running around frantic cooking the roast and trying not to burn anything. Elena set the table while she waited for their guests to arrive.

"Elena, where's Jeremy and Anna? Why aren't they helping?" Jenna yelled from the kitchen to Elena in the dining room.

"In bed, sun makes vampires sluggish you know, without their lapis lazuli"

"Their what?"

"It's a gem that protects vampires from the sun, Stefan, Damon and Anna have some but Jeremy does not, yet" She knew Anna had made Jeremy a ring for Christmas.

"Do me a favour?" Jenna asked

"Sure"

"Throw some water on them"

"I'm sure that will go down really well" Elena added sarcastically.

"Just get them down here" Right then the doorbell rang

"I'll get it" Elena told her, and opened the door to Stefan and Damon, both wielding gifts in their hands, she smiled at the sight.

"Hey, come in"

"Merry Christmas Elena, wow I don't get to say that very often" said Damon, unusually cheery, he placed a kiss on her cheek and stepped inside.

"Merry Christmas" Then it was Stefan's turn, instead of doing the same, he opted for swooping her up in his arms and kissing her passionately, she giggled and kissed him back.

"Come on lovebirds" she heard Damon say from inside the house. Elena took Stefan's hand and led him inside to the lounge room.

"Come on, let's go unwrap presents"

Soon everyone was gathered around the Christmas tree, including Jeremy and Anna, who were sitting on the two seater love seat; happily in love. Elena sat between the Salvatore brothers on the three seater and Jenna sat on the floor leaning against Alaric's legs, he stroked her hair. The room was so full of love and Elena couldn't help but feel sorry for Damon who was the only one alone, but he was still family, her future brother-in-law, they already fought like family.

Everyone handed around their gifts; Alaric gave Jenna a diamond necklace and Jenna gave him a first edition book about the battles of the civil war and a military Jacket, he adored them. Next Anna gave Jeremy his Lapis Lazuli heirloom ring that used to be hers; she now wore her Mother, Pearl's ring. He kisses her and gives Anna his gift; a Pandora bracelet with a few charms that meant something to them, a letter V for Vampire, a little guitar for her love of music, and a small heart with an engraving on it, "J & A forever", she smiled and kissed him while he put it on her.

Next it was Elena's turn, she pushed a large box towards Jeremy.

"What's this?" Elena didn't answer, just smiles, he opens the box; the easel.

"Wow awesome, iv always wanted one, thanks Elena"

"Your welcome" she told him as she picked up two more presents; one for each Salvatore Brother. Stefan made Damon go first as he wanted to see his reaction to the book. Damon realised everyone was watching him,

"It's not a box full of vervain is it? Coz that would be so not funny" He rips open the paper and stares at the title of the book he held in horror.

"Does my grammar really suck that bad? No pun intended" he says after a few silent moments

"Yes" added Stefan and Elena in unison, they couldn't help but laugh.

"Great. Thanks guys, very funny" a little embarrassed, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out two items, Elena wondered how she didn't notice them because one was a wine bottle shaped one and the other was a baseball. He hands the bottle shaped gift to Elena first and she tears open the paper, staring at the label.

"I've never seen this before, what is it?" It was an almost blank label apart from two words in dark purple italic writing; _Black Magic_.

"Only the bestest and rarest wine in the whole wide world, I bought up the last supply of it"

"Best" Stefan and Elena correst him in unison

"Shut up" retorted Damon

"This is the last bottle left in the entire world? I can't accept this"

"One of _twelve_ last bottles, and you can, my gift to you. You haven't lived until you've tried Black Magic"

"My mother told me about this" said Anna, "apparently you can't tell if you're getting drunk, and it has remarkable healing qualities"

"Then I want some" added Jeremy.

"No" replied Jenna sternly with no hesitation.

"If it's so rare then I can't drink it, but thank you Damon, I love it"

"Knew you'd like it" He tossed the baseball to Stefan.

Stefan turned the baseball over and over in his hands, a look of awe spread across his face.

"This is mine, where did you…I lost this when I was ten"

"I know, I took it, I'm sorry"

"You had this all this time? Why wait until now to give it to me?" Stefan's awe turned to anger and he looked like he was going to pounce on Damon.

"Our first Christmas with Elena. Look man, I'm sorry, its Christmas, lets just forgive and forget, you have it back, that's all that matters" Damon then realised Elena was staring at him with her mouth open.

"What?"

"Did you go to the Wizard of Oz and get a brain or a heart?" Elena asked him

"Yeah who are you and what have you done to my brother?" Stefan laughed, and all was forgotten between the brothers that Christmas. The humans sat at the table and ate Jenna's wonderful food and the vampires drank blood, well Anna and Jeremy had straight O positive that Jenna had picked up from the blood bank, Stefan went for a whiskey from the bottle he had given Damon; his favourite from 1864, and Damon had a whiskey/blood cocktail; Stefan still didn't know how he could stomach that.

This scene could look like your perfect family get together at Christmas, but all it did was make Katherine sick and jealous, she stood outside and watched them through the living room window. The truth was that she did miss the brothers and she did want someone to love, but playing games with them…she couldn't give up that, she wanted that more.

Elena goes out the back door to empty the garbage and hears a noise and sees shadows, but dismisses it because she's had a little too much to drink and figures it's just the wine talking. She shrugs it off, empties the trash can and is suddenly grabbed from behind and everything goes dark.

Katherine waits outside the Gilbert house for Damon; he walks out the front door and sees her.

"Katherine why are you here? I thought you didn't want me"

"I lied, again, my bad, I do miss you Damon" she tells him seductively, walking up to him, placing her hands on his muscular chest. Damon can't resist her, so he asks her again.

"Why are you here? Really?"

"For you" she leans in to kiss him, he pulls back

"Don't lie to me!"

"Fine, I'm here to kill Elena"


	15. Make me want to Die

Elena wakes up in a big soft king size bed in a darkened bedroom, it's a place she doesn't recognise and her head hurts bad, someone had knocked her out and bought her here against her will, she had to get out of there, Stefan and Jenna would be so worried. She gets out of the huge bed and walks toward the door, but it opens before she gets there and in walks Katherine.

"Oh good you're awake"

"What do you want from me Katherine?" Elena backs up a few steps

"To take you out of the equation so I can have the Salvatore brothers back all to myself, the way it used to be"

"Stefan doesn't love you, But Damon does"

"Oh, you thought we could have one each? It doesn't work that way"

"What are you some vampire whore? Stefan and Damon won't fall for your games again"

"Ouch, that almost hurt" Katherine walks closer to Elena, "The Salvatores are mine!" Katherine growls and her fangs protract, Elena gasps and steps back another step, but she didn't want to show Katherine too much fear, if she wanted to kill her she would've done it already.

"Then why am I here?"

"You're bait"

Elena thinks about her answer and speaks again.

"As I said before, they won't fall for you again, and if you really want to take me out of the equation, why don't you just do it"

"Because I need Stefan and Damon to play my game" Katherine says, and then leaves again.

Damon walks into the library of the boarding house, Stefan's worried and distressed about Elena, he stands up when he sees Damon.

"Did you find her?"

"No, but I got a message from Katherine, I think she took Elena"

"I thought so, but why?"

"She wants to take her out of the equation so it can be like it was in the old days, the awesome threesome"

"I'm going to stake her!" growls Stefan as he runs out.

"But you don't even know where I'm meeting her!" he yells after him hoping that he will hear but he doesn't. "Dammit" he curses and walks out the door as well.

Katherine orders another Cosmopolitan from the Mystic Grill Bar as Damon walks up and sits down beside her.

"I didn't take you for a Cosmo girl"

"There's a lot you don't know about me Damon"

"Enlighten me" he says as he orders a whiskey.

"Are you going to play my game?" Katherine asks turning towards him.

"If you don't kill Elena"

"Why does she mean so much to you?"

"She doesn't, she means a lot to Stefan"

"Bullcrap, she drives you both crazy because she looks like me"

"That's not true" Stefan says as he walks in to the bar and sits down, Damon knew that he had the intent to kill.

"Stefan" Katherine says his name with a smile, the way she used to, the way that made Stefan weak in the knees, but not anymore.

"So good of you to join us, want anything to drink?"

"I'm not staying" Stefan replied, his voice was monotone and his eyes were piercing like a spear, intention to kill indeed.

"Stefan, not now, I'm having a drink with Katherine here" clinks his glass with hers.

"Where is Elena?" he said the words slowly and through clenched teeth.

"Oh she's safe, but she won't be much longer if you don't play my game"

Stefan fights the urge to grab her and stake her right then and there, but he stays where he is, for the sake of the other patrons in the bar and grill.

"And what game is that?"

"Stefan" Damon gives him a warning look.

"No, I'm playing, what's the game Katherine?"

"Which one of you will kiss me? and which one will kill me?"

"Is that it?" Damon asks, "Oh man, I already know the answer, it's not very hard"

"Think of it as more of a riddle"

"If I kill you then I can't find Elena"

"Well then it looks like you'll have to kiss me or sleep with me to find the answer" she tells him with a smirk as she sips her Cosmo. Stefan didn't have to think.

"I'll do it"


	16. Katherine's Game

**Authors Note: This is the final chapter of this story, and i thought i might post it before the season 2 premiere of The Vampire Diaries, whos excited? Make sure u check out my new VD story _The Bennett Witches._**

Damon pulls Stefan outside and out of Katherine's earshot,

"Are you crazy?"

"If it's the only way to Elena" Stefan replies

"But you're cheating on Elena, and making me very cranky"

"Oh well then it's settled, you sleep with her, which is no problem for you, and get the answer out of her"

"She wants you to sleep with her, she won't tell me" This made Damon feel betrayed.

"Don't you see what she's trying to do all over again?" Stefan told him, Damon shrugged.

"She's trying to turn the Salvatore brothers against each other again, that's her game"

"No she won't because I know she loves only me, so I can have her and you and Elena can be together in peace"

"No, look, iv got it figured out" walks back into the Mystic Grill.

"Ok Katherine I'll do it, and leave Damon out of this" Stefan tells her, she grins wide like The Cheshire Cat.

"Excellent" she stands up, puts money on the bar and leads Stefan out of the Grill, But Damon is standing before them.

"Katherine you don't need to sleep with Stefan" he crosses his arms.

"Oh listen to that, the Salvatore's are fighting over little old me again" she says with a giggle.

"Damon, I want to do this"

"Yeah, it's the only way he can get his precious Elena back, come on Stefan" They walk past Damon and leave the bar, leaving Damon feeling empty and furious.

Elena runs to the door again, it opens and she runs out into the hallway, right into the lean chest of a vampire. She would've screamed but her airway was cut off by the male vampire's hand on her throat.

"Katherine told me not to let you escape" he growls, picks Elena up, tosses her over his shoulder and throws her back into the room and locks the door behind him. She sighs and is about to sink back into the soft bed when she hears the lock on the door click open, weird, didn't he just lock it? She runs to the door again and peaks out, the coast is clear, ok too good to be true, she sneaks out and runs down the hallway until the sounds of a couple's passion stops her in her tracks. It was coming from a nearby room. She walks over to the door, its ajar and when she looks inside her heart breaks in two.

There on the bed are Stefan and Katherine in their underwear getting all hot and heavy.

"Stefan?" Elena manages to say, almost in tears. His head jerks up and his heart sinks, he sits up immediately.

"Elena I can explain"

"No you don't need to, let Katherine explain, she's been manipulating you and Damon this whole time" standing with arms crossed, tears streaming down her face. Katherine sits up, but her hand still rests on Stefan's chest. Katherine's lingerie was so skimpy and lacy; Elena would never wear anything that skanky, they were black lace with a green shimmery material underneath, evil looking, just what Katherine is.

"Stefan and Damon had a choice; one of them had to sleep with me and one had to kill me, but I would only tell Stefan where you were if _he_ was the one who slept with me"

"And that's why you had me trapped in this house; you planned on me walking in on you"

"Smart girl, I can see why you love her Stefan"

"Ok Katherine I'm giving _you_ a choice now" Elena told her.

"Oh this should be interesting"

"Elena…" Stefan begins to speak but Elena cuts him off.

"It's ok Stefan" then turning to Katherine she says, "Walk away, leave the boys alone and never come back, otherwise I will kill you"

Katherine pretended to be shocked then all she did was laugh evilly.

"I'm not scared of you, human" She said 'human' like she was spitting out poison. She continued laughing like that, and neither Katherine nor Elena sensed Damon or Bonnie in the doorway.

"No but you should be afraid of me" Bonnie says, and with her mind she incapacitates Katherine with a high pitch screeching.

"Make it stop!" Katherine screams, but everyone ignores her. Damon throws Stefan a wooden stake and he impales Katherine with it. He acts way too fast for her react, she takes one last breath of air, and with it she speaks one last word, well four.

"Damon I love you" and then she dies.

Bonnie takes Elena out of the house and drives her home, while Stefan helps Damon with Katherine's body. Stefan walks back into the bedroom where Damon is standing still watching Katherine.

"Im sorry" he tells his brother, putting a hand on his shoulder, "but this is the way it has to be"

"She loved me"

"Not really, even to her death she's still playing games with us" he laughs a bit, Damon glares at him. Stefan changes the subject.

"Come on, I'll help you burn her"

"No I can handle it myself, go back to Elena, at least she's alive" and with that Damon picks up Katherine's body and takes her outside.

"I can't believe how awesome and brave you were back there" Elena tells Bonnie on the drive back.

"I would've done anything to save you Elena" turning to look at her then looks back at the road.

"Thank you, but how did you know where we were?"

"Damon came and got me" Elena smiles

"What?"

"You working with Damon, you used to hate him"

"I still do, he's still an annoying ass, but you were in trouble so"

"Thank you. I would hug you right now but you're driving" and the two best friends smile at each other.

Damon places Katherine in a shallow grave he's dug, putting her on a bed of wood and stands back and throws his lighter in there, watching as Katherine's body is immediately engulfed in flames like a giant bonfire. Stefan comes and stands beside his brother, Damon glances over at him then back at the fire, and they stand there together saying their last goodbyes to Katherine Pearce.


End file.
